Here we are in New York

 Well, we are finally underway - Keith and Pauline came up to the Premier Inn at the Airport and saw us off with a few drinks - here is Jane sat outside the next morning complete with the bags ready to jump on the Hotel Hoppa to terminal 5.

Thanks to Anna's husband we got to use the Business class lounge which meant free coffee and muffins away from the hoi-polloi.

Made our way from JFK via the air train and the subway  and discovered that our bags are really heavy! Especially after the last three blocks we had to carry them to the hotel (see below for room pic). Room is bit tiny but clean and done out in old style.

Weather has been good until today, with lots of sun. So far we have been on the obligatory coach trips, uptown and downtown, and had a good walk around Times Square and surrounding area. Also had a look round the American Museum of Natural History, but this was rather large and we got museumed out after two floors and had to retreat to a coffee stop in Central Park.

 Saturday in Bryant Park where we had a picnic of vastly overpriced organic cheese and tomatoes from the farmer's market in union square. Won't make that mistake again...!

New York has loads of parks and is surprisingly clean and there are coffee and street food stands absolutely everywhere. Sunday we walked along the West Side next to the Hudson River (where that plane crashlanded a couple of years ago) and down to an old disused railway line that has been turned into another park -at roof top level hence the name - the High Line park. see pic below

 Ideal for a sunny Sunday afternoon stroll. There were even sunloungers alongside the path.

There's so much to see we can't do it all justice, but I think the highlight for me has actually been Grand Central Station. The main hall itself is stunning, see pic below. Especially the ceiling painted with stars and constellations. But just as amazing is the food hall downstairs under the concourse, with every kind of food you can think of. A very welcome surprise to a very tired tourist!

 Here's the main concourse...

And finally, today (Tuesday) we walked across Brooklyn Bridge. See pic below. Great views of the Manhattan skyline, though we almost got blown away (literally) Afterwards the rain came down and we had a soggy walk thro Chinatown and Little Italy on the way back to the hotel.
Tomorrow its Central Park and maybe a bike trip, and possibly out on the river to have a closer look at the Statue of Liberty. Back again soon.